The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-17
GEHlND THE SOFA.
Georges Unbelief, and How He Tried to
Find Out for Himself


Find Out for Himself
al most don't believe there is any
real Santa Claus" said George.
The other children opened their ewes
very wide and looked ut him. There
were three other children. without
counting the baby, May. who wasn't
as many months old as Georgia was
years.
Then who gives us things in our
stocllings?" asked Meta? "Who does,
Georgia Holmes?'
"Why. papa, of course, and mamma,
and Uncle Joe, and"--
81 don't believe that story" said
Jack "How can they, when they're
ssleep?"
There was the sound of a smothered
laugh somewhere, but the children
didn't hear it.
well. I'm going to find out" said
George. you'll see. I'm going to
put some pillows and shawls and things
i'll the corner behind the sofa, and sleep
there tonight and watch. You'll
seei"
s., whom bedtime came, and the
stockings were hung in row under
the mantelshelf, George slyly crcpt
into his hiding-place
1t was queer that mamma didn't
miss him when she tucked the other
children into bed. George thought so
HIMSELF but he was very glad she did
not.
because she'd hunt for me, and
spoil every thing" he said to himself,
with little chuckle of fun. I'm real
glad!"
But somehow, things didn't seem so
funny when all the family had gone to
bed, and every thing was still except
the cloc which really made a dread
full noise. George was sure it never
licked so loud before in the world. By
and by he began to count the tick
toclSs, but before he got to one hundred
he was fast asleep.
He couldn't tell how long he had
slept, when all at once he was wide
awake again.
Itseemed as if some thing had touched
his face. but of that he couldn't feel
sure. One thing he was sure of,
however-there was some body in tho
room. because he could hear soft
rustling of paper, and once in awhile u
little clinking noise. The room was
light, and when George gained cour-
ago enough to look up over the top of
She sofa, he saw
THE funniest little old man, Uncle
Joe. you could ever think of, all done
up in Buffalo furs, and fur cap on,
and big pack on his back. And he
was filling the stockings, and talking
all tho time to himself in an awful
funny, squeaky voice. Skates for
Georgia, his said, 'and hope he lend
EN- to little Tim Baker some times
Aud Pm going to. Uncle Joe. And he
kept talking Things like that, and pill
ing presents into the stockings for us.
And all y once he looked right at the
sofa, aud L was looking over, and
prob'ly saw me, by the way he jumped
round. Goodness gracious? said he.
This Il never dol! And then the room
was dark rs pitch, and he'd gone"
"Um-m!' sid Uncle Joe. This was
Christmas day, n d George was telling
the story of his nights adventure for
tho twentieth time, maybe. went up
tho chimney, did hep
"I-don't know" said George, "but
heard something scratching
''Ah, 1 guess you dreamed it ALL"
said Unclo Joe.
mo. | didn't" protested George,
earnestly. ''for there were the skates
and evory thing, just as saw. If you
wasn't so tall. Uncle Joe, and papa
wasn't. may be- I'd say-but he was such
littlo dump of man, you know, not
any taller than mamma, but lots fatter.
What do you think bout it, Uncle
Joop"
Uncle Joe laughed as if he couldn't
stop